POVB member bulletin – 2 April 2019
POVB member bulletin – 2 April 2019 (PDF version)
IRC re Benchmarking
Issues raised before Commissioner Murphy are as follows:
- Ongoing meetings for the Medical Escort Unit
- MRRC submission
- Lithgow – no reserves being rostered on for weekends. The effect this will have on meeting KPIs and purposeful day for staff and inmates
- Issues register and its use in all centres
- Concern that acting up is not being distributed evenly and that there is nepotism in most centres
- VOR call sequence
- MSPC – CSNSW proposal re the segregation unit being used for AA inmates and possibly separating the centre into two centres.
Benchmarking Meeting
We met on 27/03/2019 with CSNSW management and the following issues were raised:
Site Visits New Builds
Darren and I had attended South Coast CC to look at their new build. There are issues that need to be addressed for that centre and we have asked for the same process to happen in Shortland.
A tour of the Shortland new build has been organised for 03/04/2019. Any issues that arise from that tour will be addressed in the same format as we are currently doing in South Coast CC.
Mid North Coast will have the same process when it is closer to being completed.
Medical Escort Unit
CSNSW informed us that staff from Long Bay Hospital will not be forced to go to the MEU. Response from the EOI means that there will be enough staff to go and staff who do not, can be absorbed in the staffing numbers on the complex.
CSNSW confirmed that this is a pilot, originally for 6 months but they think it will probably go longer. If the pilot ceases and does not move forward staff can return to Long Bay.
AA Inmates
The proposal is currently with the Commissioner for consideration. CSNSW stated not to expect an outcome for up to two months. Once CSNSW have more information they will speak to the staff locally with the POVB Executive having involvement in all conversations.
Bathurst RIT Issue
Bathurst RITs are currently being conducted by a Functional Manager. Management are stating that the amount of RITs for the centre are equivalent to centres like SWCC and MRRC who have a stand-alone officer to do the role.
Statistics will be provided by CSNSW on how many RIT’s are actually being conducted and a meeting will take place with POVB executive, staff and Director Quarrie.
Acting Up
CSNSW have agreed that the acting up has not been distributed in a standardised process across the state.
A process will be developed to address this issue but some points that were discussed were as follows:
- Each Governor/MOS of a centre will put out an expression of interest for SCO’s who want to act up.
- From that expression of interest every SCO that does want to act up will have a one on one with the Governor/MOS to look at their ability to fill the roles.
- If the Governor/MOS doesn’t think that the individual can complete certain roles the individual will have 6mths to be mentored/trained to do the roles.
- This will be reflected on MyPerformance.
- Any staff member that doesn’t want to act up will not be forced.
MRRC and Goulburn
CSNSW stated that Goulburn’s benchmarking document should be signed off soon by the Commissioner.
CSNSW stated that they are still working on MRRC proposal.
Issues Register
We raised that the Issues Register in some centres are having the issues entered however there is no outcome on them.
Every centre should have an Issues Register on their M Drive. Any issues that are occurring in the centre should be placed on that Register. Every month key stakeholders are to meet to resolve the issues. If the meeting is cancelled, we have requested that the meetings take place in that month and not just passed over to the following month. We have requested that when the meeting is moved that all stakeholders can be present for the new date.
We encourage members to put all issues on the Issues Register as it assists us if we ever need to take issues to the IRC. The Commissioner is very adamant that CSNSW address the issues in the centre locally however also agrees that the issues may be a collective issue around the state and the Register assists us in reflecting that.
VOR/Call in sequence
Members would be aware that a Call in sequence was agreed on over the Christmas period through concerns raised at the IRC. This came about due to staff at Long Bay having to do triple shifts and concerns over this period to fill vacancies. We did not want VORs in centres over the Christmas period.
CSNSW have come back to us to look at how we move forward to address the issues raised in the IRC re staff fatigue and where they want to implement a VOR.
We have asked for the following:
- How many casuals worked over the 4 shifts and where?
- How many staff worked more than 7 overtime shifts in a fortnight.
- How many staff did more than 7 double shifts in a fortnight?
Once we get the information and the process that CSNSW are looking at implementing we will put it to the membership.
IRC Lozenges – Bathurst
The inappropriate use of Nicorette Lozenges – inmates smoking crushed up lozenges in a bong-type apparatus, has become an issue statewide. Bathurst had two staff go to hospital as a result of inhaling smoke when they entered a cell. Bathurst put bans on issuing any buy-up that had Nicorette Lozenges in them.
Due to the bans CSNSW took the issue to the IRC. Initially we were before Commissioner Constant and she tried to resolve the issue through conciliation. The parties could not reach agreement and a certificate of failed conciliation was issued. The matter was then allocated to Commissioner Murphy for arbitration.
In arbitration CSNSW relied upon a study by a Senior Environmental Health Officer, titled “Health effects of smoking ‘cigarettes’ made from nicotine replacement therapy lozenges”, dated November 2018. CSNSW argued staff were only exposed to low level amounts of smoke in the work environment.
PSA/POVB used the Department’s own document to highlight some of the serious health risks associated with inhaling tabaco smoke. Of the many risks, Siderosis (welder lung) stood out. We also argued Section 84 of the WH&S Act.
The PSA/POVB was able to achieve a positive result for members, NRT Lozenges will become contraband in all NSW Correctional facilities from 10 May 2019. Until that time inmates will only be able to purchase 1 packet each buy-up.
CESU Cyclic Roster
The POVB Executive have received from CESU management Draft Business Rules that have taken into account the issues that we and members raised. The POVB Executive will look at those Rules and see if they assist members in the CESU in getting flexibility in the roster. CESU are under a 209 formula which means there are not the reserves built in like in a 195 formula.
Some 24-hour court locations have requested a combination 12-hour/8-hour roster and the POVB Executive have stated that if the majority of the membership in those locations want that then rosters should be developed for members to see what that will look like.
CESU management have agreed that once the Business Rules have been completed then a visit to all locations will take place with management and POVB Executive representation to discuss moving forward. Those dates are yet to be arranged.
Visits
The POVB Executive have been trying to get out to as many centres and court locations as possible. There have been visits to St Heliers, Kariong, South Coast, Grafton, Lismore Court Complex and MNC. We will get to all court locations through the tour re cyclic rostering.
Disciplinaries
Any member that faces any disciplinary issue should contact Dave McCauley or David Bartle prior to writing any response. Their contact details are below. If you cannot contact them in the first instance, then contact one of the POVB Executive members and they will assist. Contact details are below.
Contact Details:
Nicole Jess – Chairperson
0427 609 199
Jason Charlton – Vice Chairperson
0401 500 976
Thor Sutherland – Country Chairperson
0447 633 476
Raylene Thompson – Secretary
0430-110-239
Natalie Howes – Secretary
0407 011 441
Darren King – Assistant Secretary
0407 935 039
David McCauley – POVB Industrial Officer
0419 022 767
David Bartle – POVB Industrial Officer
0418 425 976
